Relaxation and the Holidays – IT IS POSSIBLE

It’s only 3 short weeks until the Holidays are here.  Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanza, it will be here before we know it.

Ask yourself, “When was the last time you had a really relaxing holiday?”

From Preparation of dinners, traveling between parties and even shopping. 

IT IS POSSIBLE!! All it takes is a little organization and planning.

Here are some trendy tips to get you started.

·       Make a budget. Unless you’ve got more money then you know what to do with, it is easy for the holiday season to turn into a financial headache. Ninety-nine percent of that stress can be eliminated by thinking ahead and making a budget. Financial sanity doesn’t come from having a ton of money; it comes from spending it wisely.

·       Avoid the shopping marathon. Unless you really do enjoy the thrill of “shop ’till you drop” skip the marathon mall sessions. Shop in small bite size pieces and skip the all-day shopping trips. You’ll be amazed at how much you can get done by picking up an item here and there while running everyday errands. You will also find that you will save money and find gifts that are more personalized and won’t cost you a bundle. The secret is to sit down, make a list of the people you need to shop for, and stick to it.

·       Keep your list with you and keep your eyes open.Cross off a few people each week and you’ll be done with your Santa list in no time. Gifts don’t have to be large in size, keep your eyes peeled for stocking stuffers and small items. And for those of you who raced out for Black Friday I hope the wounds you endured and the aggravation you felt saved you enough to pay for the Prozac you needed when you got doneJ .

·       Wrap as you go. Don’t put all of your wrapping off until the last minute. As you pick things up, wrap them as soon as you get a chance. Keep a basket of wrapping essentials – wrapping paper, scissors, gift tags, tape, etc. The easier you make it for yourself, the more likely you are to get it done.

·       Simplify, simplify. No matter how cool your friends and family might play it, you are NOT the only one who gets stressed out around the holidays. If the stress of preparations is getting out of hand, don’t be afraid to propose a simplified pot-luck dinner instead of a more elaborate affair, it’ll be a small relief for everyone involved. When it comes to reducing you holiday workload, every little bit helps.

·       Make friends with the Internet. Take the plunge and skip the traditional shopping. Internet shopping has come a long way and is a safe and easy way to find gifts quickly inexpensively and can be shipped directly to your home. You can easily compare prices and can generally find good deals on shipping that will guarantee arrival in plenty of time for the big day.

·       Cheat. Unless you really enjoy preparing mass quantities of food from scratch, there’s no reason not to take advantage of a short-cut or two. Particularly when it comes to the dessert menu, there are plenty of quick and easy mixes that can help you shave some serious time off of your meal preparation schedule. Just go to the grocery store and find a few easy-to-make offerings or buy something from the deli. For a special touch you can dress your desserts with extra holiday sprinkles or a squiggle of chocolate sauce across the plate for a very restaurant-looking presentation. Most stores offer deli platters, dessert trays and because they prepare them in quantity they can do it at a fraction of the cost.

·       Remember your priorities. Take shortcuts where it really doesn’t matter: buy cookies instead of baking them or barter a task you don’t like for one you do. Cut out as many social engagements as possible if you want more family time—you can’t go to a school musical when it’s more convenient. Kids appreciate happy and relaxed parents’ more than perfect decorations. Don’t be Martha Stuart be MOM

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